Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions You Can Build Yourself

Carmella Van Vleet

Contents

1 Introduction 3 Swim Paddles

Make Your Own Swim Paddles

10 Pennsylvania Fireplace Make Your Own Solar-Powered Oven Make Your Own Baked Apple

18 Armonica Make Your Own Music Stand

25 Bifocals, the Long Arm and the Library Company of Philadelphia Make Your Own Spectacle Receptacle Make Your Own Hornbook Make Your Own Long Arm

36 Printing Press Make Your Own Paper Mold Make Your Own Paper Make Your Own Letterpress

45 Paper Money Make Your Own Watermarked Bill Make Your Own Invisible Ink

53 Poor Richard’s Almanac Make Your Own Piggy Bank Make Your Own “Frugal” Frame

62 The Gulf Stream Map Make Your Own Thermometer Make Your Own Wave Bottle

68 Electricity and the Lightning Rod Make Your Own Potato Battery Make Your Own Kite

75 The Union Fire Company and the Pennsylvania Hospital Make Your Own Fire Bucket Make Your Own Fire Mark Make Your Own Feel-Better Bubble Bath

83 University of Pennsylvania, Street Improvements, and Daylight Savings Time Make Your Own Paving Brick Make Your Own Street Lamp

89 Postal Service Make Your Own Personal Mailbox Make Your Own Mail Bag

96 The Declaration of Independence Make Your Own Parchment Paper Make Your Own Feather Pen Make Your Own Liberty Bell

106 The Constitution of the United States and the Treaty of Alliance Make Your Own Fur Hat Make Your Own Travel Log

Glossary Resources Index

Ben Franklin: A Timeline 1706 Born on January 17 in Boston, Massachusetts 1716 Invents swim fins 1718 Begins apprenticeship with his brother, James, in James’ printing shop 1723 Runs away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1724 Sails to London where he becomes a master printer 1728 Opens a printing office in Philadelphia 1729 Becomes sole owner and publisher of The Pennsylvania Gazette 1731 Founds the first public library in America 1732 Begins publishing Poor Richard’s Almanac 1736 Founds the first fire company in America 1737 Appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia 1742 Proposes the idea for the University of Pennsylvania; invents Pennsylvania Fireplace 1748 Retires from printing and business and begins experimenting with electricity 1752 Performs his famous kite experiment 1757 Goes to England as a Colonial Representative 1769 Elected president of the American Philosophical Society 1775 Elected to the Continental Congress 1776 Signs the Declaration of Independence; sails to France as American Commissioner 1778 Negotiates and signs Treaty of Alliance with France 1779 Appointed Minister to France 1782 Negotiates the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain 1784 Invents bifocals 1785 Returns to Philadelphia 1786 Publishes map of the Gulf Stream 1787 Elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery; serves as delegate to the Constitutional Convention 1790 Dies on April 17 at age 84 in Philadelphia

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Introduction ave you ever seen a lightning rod on top of a skyscraper or known someone who wore bifocals?

Have you ever visited a fire station or checked out a book at a public library?

Have you ever used paper money to buy something? Or learned about the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? All these things have something in common—Benjamin Franklin either invented them or contributed to their creation in a major way.

Ben Franklin was an amazing man, and he led an amazing life. He was an important inventor, a highly successful writer and printer, a well-respected scientist, and a clever politician who helped found America. He lived for 84 years and accomplished so many Ben Franklin

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A m a zi n g Ben F ran kl in In v en tion s things that it would be nearly impossible to talk about them all. But this book will at least give you a good picture of Ben’s most significant inventions and contributions to society. You’ll discover things like how Ben’s childhood love of water led to the invention of swimming paddles, how his love of music led to the invention of the armonica, and how his natural curiosity led to very important discoveries about electricity. You’ll see how Ben’s writing changed people’s lives and shaped a country. Along the way, you’ll also learn about Ben himself, as well as his friends and family.

Most of the projects in this book can be made with supplies you probably have at home or that you can easily find at a craft or hardware store, and they can be done without too much adult supervision. So step back into colonial America, and get ready to Build it Yourself!

Words to Know armonica: a musical instrument of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries made out of hemispherical glasses that turn on an axis and are played by touching the edges with a dampened finger.

Hemispherical means half of a globe, like the shape of a bowl.

An armonica.

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Swim Paddles enjamin Franklin grew up along the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. Like many kids who lived in the American colonies in the early 1700s, Ben loved to play outdoors.

He also loved the water. Ben liked to boat and canoe with his friends, and he loved to swim. He taught himself how to swim when he was eight, and he often taught his friends how to swim as well. In fact, when Ben was older and living in England, someone suggested that he open up a school to teach swimming. Ben considered the idea, but then decided to stick with his plan of returning to America to start a print shop.

Ben swimming.

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Ama zing B e n Fr an kli n In v e n t i on s Children in colonial times played many games that children today play. For instance, Ben and his friends probably enjoyed things such as swinging on swings and playing leapfrog and hopscotch, as well as games with playing cards, pick-up sticks, and the string game known as cat’s cradle. Colonial children also played with homemade toys Colonial Toys like cornhusk dolls, yo-yos, & Games and spinning toys called whirligigs.

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Even at a young age, Ben was a good observer and inventor. When he was swimming, he saw that some kids could swim Ben was born on a Sunday, which was considered faster than others. Ben decided to experiment with ways to make himself go faster bad luck during the both on the surface and under the water. He eighteenth century. He was believed that the size of a swimmer’s hands also left-handed. and feet might be the difference, so when he This, too, was considered was around 10 years old, he invented swim bad luck. paddles. His hand paddles were made of oval-shaped pieces of wood. They had holes cut out for his thumbs and straps that went over the rest of his fingers. Ben also made flippers for his feet. Ben described these flippers as “a kind of sandals” that he fitted to the soles of his feet. The swim paddles and flippers worked great, just the way Ben had hoped they would!

Young Ben thought of another way to make himself move faster in the water. This time, he used a kite. As the story goes, he and a friend were out flying kites one day when Ben went down to the water

C h a pter O n e :

Swim Paddles

and laid on his back in it. He held onto the kite string and let the kite pull him around. As an older man, in a letter to a friend, he described the experience this way: “I began to cross the pond with my kite, which carBen Franklin being pulled by ried me quite over without the least fatigue and with the greatest pleasure imaginable.”

Later in life, Ben would be considered a great leader. But Ben started showing his leadership skills as a child. Unfortunately, he was sometimes mischievous and got himself and his friends in trouble. For example, one time Ben organized a group of friends to carry stones and build a wharf for an area of the pond they played near. The project was hard work and took an entire evening. The problem was that the stones they used were taken from a house construction site! The next morning, when the construction workers made

a kite.

Words to Know colonies: groups of British settlements in America. print shop: a place where books, newspapers and other items are printed. wharf: a dock or platform built from the shore out over water. autobiography: a book a person writes about his or her life.

Julian calendar: a calendar introduced in Rome in 46 BCE. The 12-month year has 365 days except each fourth year has 366 days.

Each month has 31 or 30 days, except February—which has 28 or in leap years 29 days.

Gregorian calendar: a calendar introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to revise the Julian calendar to bring it back into synchronization with the seasons. It was adopted in Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752. The Gregorian calendar does not add the extra day to February in a century year unles it is divisible by four.

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Ama zing B e n Fr an kli n In v e n t i on s

Ben was the 15th kid in a family of 17 kids! He was born on January 6, 1706, but many resources record his birth date as January 17. This is because America used the Julian calendar at the time Ben was born. In 1752 America and other British territories began using the Gregorian calendar. In the process of changing over, 11 days were lost—and New Year’s Day moved from March to January!

Ben and his friends put the stones all back, Ben’s dad, Josiah, was unhappy with Ben. Even though Ben tried to argue that the wharf was useful, Josiah was not impressed. In his autobiography, Ben wrote about the event. He recalled that his dad, “convinced me that nothing was useful which was not honest.”

Throughout his life, Ben was a great Colonial children typically had many siblings. believer in exercise. He swam and lifted dumbbells into his eighties. Ben noticed his body temperature and heart rate went up when he exercised. And he suspected those things could help prevent diseases and illness. Today, of course, we know he was right and that regular exercise is good for our bodies.

Colonial families were often large. Families needed to have lots of children because they helped a lot with the family business or farm. It was common for children to die at a young age due to accident or illness. As a result, children in colonial times typically had plenty of brothers or sisters Antique dumbbells. as well as neighborhood kids to play with.

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C h a pter O n e :

Swim Paddles

Fun Ideas to Try

What is your favorite water activity?

Make a class or family chart of favorite water activities like fishing, boating, and swimming.

Ben invented swim paddles and kite surfed while trying to make one of his favorite activities—swimming—easier and more fun. Invent something that will help you enjoy one of your favorite sports or activities even more.

Investigate wind surfing and other means of wind power like windmills.

There were no pools in Ben Franklin’s time.

Children and adults swam in rivers and other bodies of water. Explore a nearby lake, pond, or river with a grownup. See if you can find a good swimming hole.

Ben wrote about the lesson his father taught him when he took stones from a construction site. Write about a time that you learned a valuable lesson.

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Swim Paddles 1

Lay the two lids down on your work surface. It doesn’t matter which side

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Place your right thumb into the hole.

Relax the rest of your fingers so that

is facing up; the paddles will work in the

they lay flat against the lid.

water either way. It’s more comfortable for

Don’t spread your

your hands, though, if the side with writ-

fingers out too wide

ing (or where the label was) is facing up.

or hold them too close together. Use the pen to make dots to the right of the middle knuckle of your pointer

2

Start with one lid. Imagine your lid is the face of a clock. Find where “7

o’clock” is and mark it with the pen. Poke a hole through the mark with the pointy scissors. Afterwards, lift up the lid and carefully use the scissors to cut a hole about the size of a quarter around the mark, near the edge of the lid. (Make sure

2 round plastic lids* protection for your work surface, such as a piece of cardboard, cutting board, or a magazine pointy scissors

there is an adult around while you use the

2 shoelaces, any color*

pointy scissors!) This is

permanent markers, any color

your thumbhole and

spray paint, any color (optional)

this paddle will be for your right hand.

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Supplies

*Lids from 12 ounce plastic food contain-

ers work well. If the lid is too much bigger than your hands, the paddles will not move through the water easily. Make sure they are clean and dry. Shoelaces should be the kind for athletic shoes, not dress shoes. The laces don’t need to be long.

finger and to the left of the middle

mark and cut a thumbhole

knuckle of your pinky.

in your second lid at “5

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o’clock.” Next, follow the

Lay the lid back down on your protective surface. Use the scissors

to poke holes through the marks. Next, poke one shoelace end into one of the holes and tie a knot at the end of the lace. The knot should be on the

same steps you used to make your right-hand paddle.

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If you want, spray paint your paddles following the directions on the paint can and let them dry. Note

front of the paddle. (The back of

that the paint will eventually

the paddle is where the palms of

wear off in the water. An-

your hands will rest.)

other option is to use per-

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manent markers to decorate

Poke the other end of the lace into the other lid hole.

This should form a strap for your fingers. Pull the lace snug and tie

your paddles. Now you’re ready to try out your swim paddles in the water!

a knot at the end. Cut off any extra lace. It’s easier to get the strap the right length if you ask someone else to pull the lace and make the second knot.

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To make a paddle for your

left hand, make a

Time needed: 15 minutes, not including drying time for paint

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Glossary A allies: people, groups, or countries who agree to help each other. almanac: a reference book containing information, such as weather forecasts, lists and tables, moon phases and tide charts, short articles and household tips. ambassador: someone who represents his or her country.

American Philosophical Society: a group of men from various colonies who joined together to share information about scientific and mathematical discoveries, new arts and trades, maps and charts, and, in general, ideas for improving life in the colonies. apprentice: someone who agrees to work for a certain amount of time for a craftsman or professional in return for being taught a trade. armonica: a musical instrument invented by Ben Franklin in 1761. It is played by rubbing your wet fingers against a set of turning, crystal bowls. atoms: tiny particles of matter that make up everything. autobiography: a book that a person writes about his or her life.

B bartering: a system where people exchange goods or services for other goods or services.

Battle of Lexington: the fight between Minutemen and redcoats in Lexington, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775 that officially began the Revolutionary War. Battle of Yorktown: the final battle of the Revolutionary War, which began on October 9, 1781 and ended ten days later. bifocals: glasses with lenses that are divided into two parts, invented by Ben Franklin in 1784. The upper half is for looking at things

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far away and the lower half is for reading or for looking at things that are near.

Boston Massacre: a riot in Boston that took place on March 5, 1770 and resulted in five colonists being shot and killed by British Troops.

Boston Tea Party: the December 16, 1773 act of protest against the Tea Act in which a group of colonists disguised themselves as Native Americans, boarded a ship, and dumped British tea into the Boston Harbor. boycott: the act of not buying a certain product in order to protest something.

C carriages: horse-drawn vehicles used in colonial times. circuit: a system of conductors forming a path for electricity to move.

Coercive Acts (or Intolerable Acts): a group of laws imposed in 1774 on the colonists

by England as a way to punish them for the Boston Tea Party. colonies: groups of British settlements in America. conductor: a material through which electricity moves.

Constitutional Convention: the meeting in Philadelphia that lasted from May 25 to September 17, 1787, at which the U.S. Constitution was created.

Constitution of the United States: the document that lays out the rules and principals of the United States government.

Continental Congress: the group of delegates from rebel communities who met during and after the American Revolution. They issued the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. counterfeit money: fake money.

currency: another name for money, or something of value that can be exchanged for goods. current: a body of water that is moving in a certain direction.

D declaration: something announced or declared.

Declaration of Independence: the document written by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Ben Franklin that declares America’s independence from England. It was signed on July 4, 1776. delegate: someone who goes to a meeting to represent his or her city or country.

Daylight Savings Time: the time of the year when clocks are set ahead or held back one hour past standard time so that people can enjoy more daylight. dues: money members pay to be a part of a club or organization.

E electricity: energy created by the movement of electrons between atoms. electrons: particles that, along with protons and the nucleus, make an atom. electrostatic machine: a machine used to generate sparks of electricity. engraving: a type of printing in which the design is etched or drawn into the plate instead of having the letters or design raised on the plate. epitaph: an inscription on a grave that describes or is in memory of the person buried there.

F fire companies: groups organized to fight fires. fire marks: plaques used to show that a home or business had fire insurance.

First Continental Congress: a group of delegates from the colonies who met to discuss

what to do about England’s Coercive Acts (or Intolerable Acts) in 1774.

Franking Privilege: a special right given to elected officials, allowing them to send official mail through the postal system free of charge by signing their names in place of a postage stamp.

Franklin/Folger Map: the Gulf Stream map Ben Franklin and his whaling cousin Timothy Folger created in 1786.

French and Indian War or The Seven Year’s War: the war between France and England and their Native American allies for control over the colonies in America. It lasted from 1756 to 1763. frugal: careful not to waste money or resources.

G government: the group of people who lead a city or country.

Gregorian calendar: a calendar introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to revise the Julian calendar to bring it back into synchronization with the seasons. It was adopted in Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752. The Gregorian calendar does not add the extra day to February in a century year unles it is divisible by four.

H hornbook: a paddle-shaped piece of wood that colonial children used to learn to read and write.

House of Representatives: a part of congress in which the number of representatives is based on the state’s population.

I independence: the state of being separate from someone or something. inn: a place where travelers can spend the night, eat, rest, or visit. inoculation: a shot or medicine given to people to protect them from a certain disease or illness.

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J journal: a magazine or publication that a group or organization publishes for its members.

Julian calendar: a calendar introduced in Rome in 46 BCE. The 12-month year has 365 days except each fourth year has 366 days. Each month has 31 or 30 days, except February—which has 28 or in leap years 29 days.

Junto: the social and civic club Ben Franklin formed with his friends and other businessmen. It was also called the Leather Apron Club.

K King George III: the king of England during the Revolutionary War. L Library Company of Philadelphia: the first public library that Ben Franklin and the Junto established in 1731. lightning rod: a device that attracts lightning and carries it into the ground and away from a building, invented by Ben Franklin in 1753. long arm: a mechanical arm invented by Ben Franklin that was used to reach books on high shelves. loyalist: in colonial times, someone who believed America should stay under England’s rule.

M maxims: sayings or little bits of wisdom.

Minutemen: colonists who fought for independence from England.

N New-England Courant: the newspaper Ben Franklin’s brother published.

O odometer: a device used to measure distances traveled, invented by Ben Franklin in 1785.

P pamphlet: an informative book or brochure.

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parchment: the skin of a sheep or goat prepared for writing.

Parliament: the legislative branch of the British government. patent: a document that signifies ownership of an invention, so that no one else can get credit for it or profit from it without paying an agreed upon fee to the inventor.

Pennsylvania Assembly: the colonial government or legislature in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania fireplace: the fireplace insert that Ben Franklin invented in 1741.

Pennsylvania Gazette: Ben Franklin’s newspaper.

Pennsylvania Hospital: America’s first public hospital. Ben Franklin played a key role in getting it established in 1751. petition: a collection of signatures, signed by a group of people, requesting that a change be made. phonetic: spelling that reflects just how words sound.

Poor Richard’s Almanac: Ben Franklin’s annual almanac, published between 1732 and 1758. postal route: traveling path a mail carrier takes to deliver the mail.

Postmaster General: an official in charge of a country’s post office department. print shop: a place where books, newspapers, and other paper and ink documents are printed. printer: someone who prints words on paper and sells them for a living. printing press: the machine used by printers in print shops to press ink into paper.

R redcoats: one nickname the colonists gave the British troops. repeal: to cancel or take back a law.

Revolutionary War: the war of independence fought between America and England between 1775 and 1783.

Richard Saunders: the fake, or pen name, Ben used to author his almanac. riot: an out-of-control gathering of people protesting something. rival: someone you compete against.

S salvage sacks: bags used to collect valuables quickly during a fire before they are destroyed.

Second Continental Congress: delegates from the colonies that met to discuss whether or not America should declare its independence in 1775. senate: a part of congress where each state is given two representatives. separation of powers: the concept of having three different branches of government to ensure that no one branch gains more power than the others. shilling: the money used in America during Ben Franklin’s time.

Silence Dogood: the made-up name Ben Franklin signed when he wrote letters to his brother’s newspaper. smallpox: a contagious disease that killed a lot people before a vaccination for it was invented. Even though the vaccine was not perfected until 1796, after Ben Franklin died, a form of inoculation against smallpox was practiced in his time.

Stamp Act: a law England passed in 1765, requiring the colonists to buy and attach a special stamp on numerous paper goods they produced. swim paddles: paddles someone wears on their hands to help propel them through water.

T tavern: a place where people can buy food and drink and enjoy each other’s company. thermometer: a scientific device used to measure temperature.

treason: actions that go against one’s own country.

Treaty of Alliance: an agreement from France that they would help America in its fight for independence (February 6, 1778).

Treaty of Paris 1783: an agreement between England and America that ended the Revolutionary War. With this treaty, England recognized America as a country. tuition: the money paid to attend a privately owned school.

U Union Fire Company: Philadelphia’s first volunteer fire department. It was created by Ben Franklin in 1736. unity: togetherness. university: a group of colleges or a school of higher education.

University of Pennsylvania: the current name of The Philadelphia Academy and Charitable School, a boys’ school established

by Ben Franklin in 1751.

V vegetarian: someone who doesn’t eat meat. virtues: positive personality traits.

W wharf: a dock or platform built from the shore out over water.

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Ages 9 and up

Did You Know?

Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions You Can Build Yourself introduces

readers ages 9 and up to the life and times of one of America’s greatest thinkers with over 25 hands-on building projects and activities. From his groundbreaking scientific discoveries and inventions to his career as a writer, printer, and politician, Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions gives young readers a comprehensive look at the man who gave us the lightening rod, the armonica, bifocals, the post office, the first public library, Poor Richard’s Almanac, and so much more. Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions provides detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and templates for creating each project. Historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and fascinating trivia support the fun projects and teach readers about the courage, creativity, and determination of Ben Franklin and a young America coming into its own.

“This imaginative book encourages kids to explore their world and learn some history while building projects relating to Ben’s many accomplishments. The projects are both instructive and fun, two things Ben would heartily approve. As Ben himself might have said, ‘Huzzah!’”

—John C. Van Horne, Director of The Library Company of Philadelphia, founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin “ You’re never too young to learn about Ben Franklin, and Carmella Van Vleet gives you a great introduction. My own children grabbed the book away from me as soon as a copy arrived. I only wish my library would have had this book when I was a child.”

—Blaine McCormick, author, Ben Franklin: America’s Original Entrepreneur

Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions You Can Build Yourself

• Ben was left-handed, which was considered bad luck in colonial times.

• Ben was the first American to invent an instrument (the armonica).

• Ben liked to take what he called “air baths” in which he sat naked in a tub and let the cold air from an open window clean away the germs.

• Ben wanted the turkey, not the eagle, to be America’s national bird.

Van Vleet

Children’s Activity/Education Resource

Inventions You Can Build Yourself

Learn some hands-on history!

ISBN 978-0-9792268-8-5

$19.95

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Carmella Van Vleet